Archives for September 24, 2011

‘”I had a terrible first half, and I will be the first to admit that,” Myers said. “But as bad as my first half was, I’m really happy with the way I responded in the second half. It was a huge learning experience. Even in the mindset I have coming into this season is night and day different than it was last season.”‘

‘”It’s what I expected,” Ehrhoff said Friday before the Sabres’ 2-1 victory in Toronto. “We play a fast-paced, offensive game, and the first game I got a few opportunities to join the play. That’s what I like to do.”‘

‘“Just give it one more go, one more shot here, try to play a full season … see what happens,” said Ryan, who played 12:24 in the Sabres’ 2-1 exhibition win Friday over the Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.’

‘”Miller made some big saves for them. He’s a good goaltender, you’ve got to get traffic in front of him and get him moving and he made some key saves,” Leafs defenseman John-Michael Liles(notes) said. “Obviously you have to focus on him each and every game but we’ll continue to try to do those things and try to get traffic in front of him.”‘

‘After an uneventful first half of the third, Jason Pominville put the Sabres ahead with a powerplay tally at 12:27. Assists on the goal came from Christian Ehrhoff and Marc-Andre Gragnani. The Leafs nearly came right back but Ryan Miller robbed Joffrey Lupul on a wide open opportunity. Toronto pulled James Reimer with time running out, but Miller stood tall, keeping the puck out of the net to earn the 2-1 final.’

‘Even if it was a preseason game, Corey Tropp will never forget his first goal in a Sabres uniform. With the puck deep in the Toronto zone, defenseman Keith Aulie’s clearing attempt is picked off just inside the blueline by Matt Ellis who finds Tropp alone in the slot. Tropp turns quickly, makes another quick move and slides the puck between James Reimer’s pads. “Ellie did a great job stepping up,” Tropp explains. “He made a heck of a pass to me in the slot, and I just tried to get it off as quick as I could.”’